The China-Britain Business Council has signed an agreement with JD.com, China’s largest e-commerce company by revenue, to cooperate on protecting intellectual property online. The signing was witnessed on 9 December in Beijing by the UK Intellectual Property Office’s chief executive, Sean Dennehey, during his official annual visit to China.
Under the agreement, JD and CBBC will strengthen their existing cooperation on IP protection to fight infringement against British rights owners. JD will provide CBBC with a “green channel” whereby complaints by British companies filed through JD’s IP protection platform will receive a streamlined review process. JD will also test an advanced system to separate simple and complex infringement cases to enable faster processing.
CBBC will help JD to improve its technical and legal processes. The agreement builds upon the work that JD and CBBC are already doing together in China to test and develop industry-wide “zero tolerance” standards for counterfeits.
In attendance at the signing were numerous prominent British brand owners representing major food and everyday household care product manufacturers, household appliance manufacturers, publishers and the information industry. Following the ceremony, JD gave a presentation on its IP protection mechanisms and spoke to the British attendees, stressing its long-term commitment to selling only genuine and licensed products.
"Chinese consumers increasingly appreciate the great quality of British brands in areas from fashion to spirits, and everything in between," said JD senior vice president Laura Xiong (above, centre). "We have been significantly expanding our imported offering as the appetite among Chinese consumers for authentic British products has surged. Protecting IP has been a core principle for us since inception because consumers deserve the best products, and brands have a right to benefit from their innovation and commitment to quality."
"For the China-Britain Business Council this agreement is an important milestone in our engagement with JD," said Jeff Astle, executive director of CBBC (above). "These initiatives are worth celebrating. CBBC’s approach to China is to be pro-engagement, pro-collaboration and pro-action. We want to work with internet companies like JD, a clear leader in IP protection, to find solutions which benefit both sides."
Sean Dennehey, IPO acting chief executive and controller general, said, "I am delighted to welcome this MOU between JD.com and the China-Britain Business Council, which is a strong signal of the clear commitment to the enforcement of the intellectual property rights of British businesses. Digital technology is revolutionising retail, offering instant and unlimited reach across national boundaries. This represents massive business opportunities, but also great risks: of lost sales to rights-holders; to consumers, who may be misled or endangered; and to intermediaries who may lose their reputation for reliability and quality. The mechanism that JD.com and CBBC have put in place will enable British rights-holders to engage directly with the platform, highlight concerns and discuss priority issues. This is a real boost for legitimate trade in high quality British products."